Chapter 5
Flo Karmichle stood staring, dumbfounded, at the ashes of what had once been her hometown.
She walked down the path which was once surrounded by vegetation. As she walked along, memories started darting back and forth in her mind like buzzing bees. Tears stung the back of her eyes, but she held them. This place that she had long since abandoned, where her kindest memories had been, was razed to the ground. The only place where people had been remotely affectionate to her. The only place that would ever feel like home.
Gone.
She continued on the path, remembering how she would walk through here every day. Mrs. Platsky would stand over there in front of her bakery, marketing her goods. Mr. Johnson came through every day on the way home from work. Mrs. Fran, her own teacher, would be standing there in front of the school with the same scornful look on her face. As she passed the schoolhouse, she choked back a sob as she saw a young woman, face-down and ashen. Dead. A burned apple, fallen to the floor, had rolled to a stop beside her.
Who could have done this? She continued walking, past the Pokemon Center and grocery store. She remembered the day she received her first Pokemon from the lab, now a pile of rubble, and frolicked with it right here. Finally, she arrived at her own home. She scanned the wreckage as her most cherished memories began to surface.
Suddenly, something caught her eye. She bent down to observe the glint of gold more closely, and found it to be a locket. She opened it to see a picture of her, her younger sister, and her mother. Her mind flashed back to the call that had brought her here.
“Flo? Flo!”
“Yes? Hello, Crescendia. How are you?”
“Flo! I know you have time off, and I want you to come home!”
“What? But sis, I-”
“No buts! I want to see you here. Goodbye, Flo. See you soon, and I love you!”
She makes a great argument, Flo had thought. Now, she had changed her mind. She shouldn’t have come. She shouldn’t of had to see... this. To feel the remorse. The sadness. The pain.
I’ve got to at least find her body, she thought.
It didn’t take long.
When she looked up from the locket, Flo Karmichle fell back in a mix of surprise in fear. Then she slowly stood, observing the odd statue that had frightened her. A face frozen in horror, looking precisely at the spot she was standing. She examined the grooves, the accuracy of the looks...
There was no mistaking it.
It was her sister.
Then the tears came, oh, the awful tears! They streamed down her face like two tiny waterfalls. She ran to the statue, crying her sister’s name through the sobs. Though the statue was stuck in place, Flo did her best to caress it.
“Cress... It’ll be okay...”
Who could have done this?! “No.... Whoever did this, I will find them. And they will burn.”
* * * * *
Joe Harold leaned over the chunk of rock, the sun beating down on his back.
“I just don’t see it”, he told the man beside him.
“Well, it’s a clear Armaldo fossil, my most prized possession. Don’t you see these groves, here and here?”
“Oh, I guess I’m just not getting the whole picture. I guess that’s why I’m the Ranger, and you’re the... the palentio... patiencestine...”
“Paleontologist, sir.”
“Right. That’s what I meant.”
“I’m here, Mr. Harold!” Eddie came up to them, sweating up a storm. “Sorry for being late, I’m just not that used to being in the field and all...” Joe knew all about that. In fact, he never heard the end of it! Eddie wasn’t cut out for the field, and would never let Joe forget it.
They had come out to the desert region of the Shikku Region to learn about a strange phenomenon occurring that must have something to do with this old, dusty coot. After all, Rank had issued this mission to Joe himself. The paleontologist, Dr. Ferry, was an older man in his 60’s. He wore a khaki shirt and shorts and had a cowboy hat on.
“Well, now that we’re all here”, Joe started, “Let’s get straight to the point. What is it that’s going that’s got everyone so worked up, Dr. Ferry?”
“You see, Mr. Harold, strange things have began to happen to fossils throughout the Shikku Region. As you know, Pokemon are beginning to become more agitated. However, a different occurrence has begun to surface. Fossil Pokemon, long thought to be extinct, have began appearing again. Existing fossils, too, have disappeared. After their disappearance, these ancient beasts have been sighted near the museums!”
“So you’re saying”, Joe speculated, “That fossils are turning back into their original forms? Without any sort of restoration?”
“That’s right, sir. They just up and disappear. These Pokemon are also extremely dangerous! They’ve been known to attack any and all people and other Pokemon they see.”
“Doesn’t that put everyone around fossils in danger?” Eddie asked. “Shouldn’t we get them locked away somewhere?” Eddie was having to constantly push his glasses up the bridge of his nose, until finally, he took them off and started cleaning them.
“We’ve tried, but they simply refused to believe the stories and understand the facts!”
“I’ve got to admit, I’m a bit skeptical too, but-” Joe stopped as a low growling sounded behind them. He whirled around to face a full-grown Armaldo, eyes full of hate and rage.
~

~